Nick de la Hoyde has a ton of personality, an abundance of talent and, as showcased on his breakout single “By My Side”, a huge heart in both senses of the phrase: toughness and kindness, rapping: “It ain’t hard to see / all the haters and the kids that are mocking me / they’re coming back with apologies.” That cockiness is then met with a weathered vulnerability moments later, when Nick’s heart beats to the tune of a different though oft-exposed sentiment, rapping: “It’s you that makes me feel alright / and it’s you that’s so perfect by my side.” The 20-year-old performer confidently displays his way with words and forte for presenting poetics with rhythm over nu metal musicality. Call him De La Soulful, alpha-dog America’s Australian answer to Iggy’s fancy cat call.
Written by ToneSwep
Adept at melding Hip Hop bravado and Pop sensibilities with indie band alt-rock and bad boy grunge-guy appeal, Nick’s way with words – how he organizes his instincts and entrusts us to believe their intentions – are meant to be heard. Though the lead single from the artist’s impressive debut EP “Passion” is already on fire, he douses the song with a clever dose of positivity without muffling the flames, downplaying drug use when rapping: “Never really was a boy into mathematics / even took a crack at it, with a bad habit / music is the only drug for the mad addicts.”
“By My Side” is a modern day love song grappling with age old relationship dilemmas like searching for lost love and proving naysayers wrong in pursuit of that passion. At first listen, Nick appears to be pronouncing his love for a girl he never thought he could have. Later you learn his flirtatious homages are romanticized references to rap and rock: “I can’t move on until I have it all / I want to hear the crowd roar on a major tour,” and: “I want to put it on everybody’s faces / I want to see them smile back when the bass hits.” The buzz single will prove effective in placing Nick’s name on the teen-girl “mom can I use your credit card to by his new album?” map, while bringing an edge and attitude relatable to the drummer majors and quarterbacks. Music is Nick de la Hoyde’s love interest, and it’s that very truth making the artist’s love affair even more interesting.
Unlike his nation-mate Iggy Azalea, Nick’s Australian accent can be heard when he raps, adding a land-down-under bottom that anchors his lyrics. In short, he doesn’t sound stereotypically boy-band light or auto-tune, offering a fun effervescence and carefree masculinity over signature synths and strings. Azalea found global success with “Fancy” and also southern U.S. criticism from Hip Hop purists for presenting what many considered an ethnically insensitive, manufactured accent in her songs. Not Nick, he sounds like his city of Sydney. Both artists, however, possess an undeniable ear for the hit song and a wanderlust that will take them anywhere in the world to achieve success.
With the aim of sonic cohesiveness on this leadoff “Passion” project, Nick hit the mark on “By My Side”, collaborating with his brothers Joseph and John, a dynamic production duo responsible for the bulk of the EP’s soundscape. Chicago-based producer Lemoyne ‘LA’ Alexander, who invited the emotionally advanced Aussie stateside to write, rap and record, produced “Passion’s” lead single “The Longest Way”, where Nick forewarns, “Everything is going down like it’s rolling”.
Earlier this year, Hoyde toured with Australian Alt-rock band Monks of Mellonwah (MOM) while in residency at Sydney’s acclaimed Oxford Arts Factory. The group is also featured on “No Consolation” from Nick’s “Passion” EP, which dropped on June 30th. Delivering a compact but impactful six tracks, the two lead singles “The Longest Way” and “By My Side” accompany the title track “Passion” as the standout songs on an impressive debut by a young artist on the rise.
Follow Nick de la Hoyde on Instagram
Visit Nick de la Hoyde‘s Official Site